Why Low-Frequency C-Band Is Better Than Short Satellite Bands

Satellite broadband providers traditionally operate on Ku, Ka and C bands. These electromagnetic bands differ in terms of wavelength and frequencies, which explains the variations in satellite broadband speed and thoroughput. The lowest frequency is found in the C band, with the Ka band having the shortest wavelength and highest frequency in the group. The good thing though is that low frequency results into greater resistance against signal attenuation due to rainfall, otherwise known as rain fade.C-band frequencies are not uniform around the world. Generally, C band oscillates at a range of 3.7 to 7 Ghz. This frequency is quite lower compared with that of Ka (26.5-40 GHz) and Ku bands (12-18 GHz). C band is traditionally used in satellite TV transmission as well as other wireless communications systems that need uninterrupted connection. C-band connectivity is supported by numerous Wi-Fi gadgets, radars and wireless telephones.Rain fade has the least impact on C band because of its low frequency and longer wavelength. Rain fade refers to the attenuation of radio signals due to bad weather. Although more stable than the K band family, C band suffers from some drawbacks as a result of its low frequency, such as lower thoroughput and need for 'big ugly dishes', named so due to their  gigantic size.Due to rain fade, rural satellite users may experience Internet downtime during rainy season, unless they are connecting via C and not K bands.Rain fade is a major obstacle to satellite communications. This is the inevitable drawback  geostationary satellite communications. Geostationary satellites are flying 20,000 miles above our planet, unlike lower GPS satellites. Thus, geostationary satellites need more powerful and larger  transceivers in order to send signals across the turbulent atmosphere.Teleport location, the type of satellite dish and type of radio band to use are all influenced by the frequency of rainfall in a given area. Weather disturbance, even it only delays satellite transmission by nanosecond, can significantly lower speed and affect user experience. Rain fade is often blamed for erroneous signal modulation and transmission, decline in thoroughput and, in extreme cases, interruption of wireless broadband connection in tropical areas. The usual threshold for rain fade is 1 GHz. Beyond this level, rain can cause frequency absorption and serious problems on satellite broadband connectivity. Another effect of rain fade is electromagnetic interference. This phenomenon also affects users even in areas not experiencing rain if there is an atmospheric disturbance along the signal path or due to wrong positioning of satellite dish. Nevertheless, the C band market remains healthy in tropical and subtropical places since high frequency bands cannot penetrate rainfall as well as C band. Major C band markets include Asia-Pacific regions. Rural areas that frequently experience rain rely on C band satellites for distance education, telemedicine, emergency communications and satellite TV programming.The telecommunications and Internet industries look up to C band to expand their thoroughput. In a number of countries, the government wants to free more C band to be used in wireless broadband and mobile telecommunications. Because of dynamic weather characteristics of tropical regions, C band remains the most used radio band when deploying satellite service in rain-prone areas. C band satellite dishes are larger. C band signals will not work on Ku and Ka band dishes unless they are re-sized to be able to accept longer wavelengths. It is therefore more convenient to use C band to avoid interoperability issues due to equipment modification. Satellite TV operators will not abandon C band in the near future despite its low frequency. Resistance to rain fade is its major advantage over the K bands. The risks of switching to K bands to deliver real-time data are serious. Rain fade will remain a problem in satellite communications in the long run. Until then, C band will be the preferred medium for satellite communications in rain-prone regions.